Train-signal



(No Model.)

A. 0.1GRIGGS.

- TRAIN' SIGNAL.

No. 393,431. Patented Nov. 27, 1888;.

UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

'ALBERT C. GRIGGS, OF V'ILMINGION, DELAVARE.

{RAIN-SIGNAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,431, dated Novemberv2'7, 1888.

(No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT C. GRIGGs, of Vilmington, New Castle county,State ot'Delaware, have invented a new and useful Improved Train Signal,of which the following is a true and exact description, due referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to that class of devices whereby an audible signalin a locomotive-engine is operated from any of the cars connected withit, the ordinary bell-cord passing through the train being the bestknown of these devices.

The object of my invention is to so combine the signal-whistle situatedupon the engine and connected with the boiler or compressedair-reservoir (preferably the latter) by means ofa conduit or pipeprovided with a valve with an electro-magnet arranged in such a way withrespect to the valve-stern as to actuate it and open the valve when acurrent is passed through the magnet and permit it to close with thecessation of the current, a battery and a system of electric conduitspassing through the train and provided with devices in each car wherebythe circuit between the battery and electro-magnet may be readilyclosed, my said invention being illustrated in the accompanying sheet ofdrawings, in which- FigureI is an outline sketch of a locomotive andattached railway-car provided with my improvement; Fig. 2, a Viewshowing the ar-.

rangement of elect-ric conduits in a railwaycar; Fig. 3, an enlargedview of the device which I prefer to use for coupling the conduits ofone car with those of another. Fig. 4 is a View, partly in section, ofthe whistle, valve, electro-magnet, and governor situated in the conduitleading from the air-reservoir tov the whistle, said parts beingcombined as I propose to combine them in embodying my invention. Figs. 5and 6 are devices for closing the circuit in the different cars, andFig. 7 is a perspective view of the socket-piece of the coupling L.

A is a locomotive; B, a railway-car; C, an

airstorage tank, preferably that connected with the air-brake system; D,a pipe or conduitleading from the storagetank; E, a pressnre-regulatorsituated in the conduit D, and whereby the air escaping from the tank()has its pressure reduced. F is a valve for opening and closing theconduit or pipe D; G, a Whistle situated on the end ofthe pipe D. .I isa battery, one pole of which connects directly with an electro-magnet,l), while the other is adapted for connection to the circuit-wire H.(See Fig. l.)

I is a circuitwire similar to H, passing through the train and adaptedto bc connected with the electro-magnet. In each car I provide one ormore devices, K, for connecting the conduits H and I and completing thecircuit through said conduits. Thus in Fig. 5 the wire H is connectedwith a metallic plate, k', secured in a frame, K3. The wire I isconnected with a plate, k2, in the said frame, and metallic springs Q Q,attached to the plate k2, extend upward so that their ends are close toalthough not in contact with the plate k. A rod, K', is suspended at thetop of the frame K and passes down between the spring-plates Q Q, beingkept from contact with the said plates by means of springs K2 K2, whichhold it centered between them. An annular knob, q, is secured upon therod K', and to its free end are attached actuating-cords 7c. If now thecord be pulled in either direction,'the knob q will press against one ofthe springs Q, forcing its free end into contact with the plate k', thuscompleting the circuit through the conductors H and I.

In Fig. 6 I have shown asomewhat modified form of circuit-connector inwhich the frame K3 is made a part of the circuit-wire I, the rod K'passing through bearings in frame K3, and having an annular projection,7c3, in its center, made of a conducting material and kept centered andout of contact with the springs QQ, which are in electric connectionwith the conductor H by means of the springs K2 K2. The

actuating-cords 7c are attachedv to each end of the rod K', and whenpulled in either direction the projection 7a3 is brought into contactwith one of the springs Q, and an electric connection thus made betweenthe wires H and I.

I do not of course intend in giving these two plans, as shown in Figs. 5and 6, to limit myself to their use, as a'ny of the very many wellknowndevices for making and breaking electric circuits may be used. I preferto make the valve F of the general character shown in Figa-that is, ofthe kind known as a balanced valve, as is shown at M, and I provide aspring, m, to hold said valves DI against their seats with a known andadjustable press ure. N is of course the actuating rod or stem of thevalve M.

O is a bellcrank lever having one end resting near or against the rod N,and having an armature, O', secured at its other end close to and withinthe field of the magnet I. The proportionate length ofthe arms of thelever O can be varied in any way deemed most advantageous; or it may bedispensed with entirely and the magnet made to draw on the end of thevalve-rod N, instead of pushing it. One method of so arranging themagnet is shown in Fig. 1, where the end of the rod N is shown ascontinued into the center of a helix, and of course is acted on by theelectromagnetic force generated by the current passing through the saidcoil, such a device being in this connection the evident equivalent ofan ordinary electromagnet-such as I in Fig. 4.

The coupling L, by means of which the wirecouduits I-I and I of cach carare united with the wires of adjoining cars, consists of spring socketsZ and pins Z. rIhcse are secured on the ends of the wires extending outof the ends of the cars, said wiresin this place being of course coveredwith a ilexible insnlating-covering and preferably made of differentlengths, as shown in Fig. 2, one of the coupling devices being in eachcase ati ached to the long wire andthe other to the shortoneas, forinstance, as shown, the socket Z is on the long wire and the pin Z onthe short one. The purpose of this is that when the wires hang down, asshown at the left of Fig. 2, the uninsulatcd ends ofthe conduits willnot come in contact and thus close the circuit.

The socket-piece Z is preferably divided by one or more longitudinalcuts, IJ, as shown in Fig. 7, and centrally bored out, as shown at If,to receive the pin Z. I prefer to make a curved annular projection inthe pin Z and a corresponding socket in the socketpiece Z, as is shownat Z2, Fig. 3. This device insures that the elastic arms of thesocket-piece shall grip the piu even if they do not lit snugly` alongthe whole of their length.

It is desirable, of course, that in case of the breaking of a train thewhistle should be blown automatically. Various devices might be used toaccomplish this result. In Fig. 2 I have shown a very simple one-viz., acord, k', at-

v tached 'to the actuatingcord 7s and to the flexible ends of the wiresI and II, said cord k having a slack somewhat less than that of thewires, which should, of course, be arranged to permit all usual motionsof the cars and have a little slack in addition to that necessary forthis purpose. By this device, as the two cars part, the slack ot' thewires will be straightened out; but before they are actually straightthe cord k will bc stretched taut and will pull upon the cord It' andclose the circuit. 0f course the grip of the springsocket Z on the pin Zmust be tight enough to give this pulla result easilyacconiplished inthe construction shown.

The construction and mode of operation of my invention will be readilyunderstood from the above-described details. The pipe D is of coursesecured in the engine, and the governor E, valve F, and whistle G aresecured to it at any convenient points. The electro-magnet I? must, ofcourse, be also upon the engine and secured in a fixed relation to thevalve-stem N, upon`which it acts either directly or indirectly, asaforesaid.

The position of the battery J is not essential. It may be placed withinthe cab of the engine or on the tender, which practically forms a partof the engine, and of course the battery might be situated on any of thecars. In case of long trains, indeed, it would be useful to have one ormore batteries or geuerators on the cars to reenforce the main battery.The wires II and I ruuiiing through each car should, of course, beinsulated, and might well be covered by some of the wood-work. Thecircuitclosing device K may be placed at any convenient point within thecar, and any desired number may be used. Vhcn the wires I and II areconnected by the action of any oi' the circuit-closers K, the currentfrom the battery passes into the electro-magnet I), and the armature Ois drawn toward the magnet, and by its movement opens the valve F eitherthrough a lever, O, or by acting directly on the other end of thevalve-rod N, as is indicated in Fig. 1. Zhen the valve is opened, theair from the reservoir C passes through the conduit D, being, however,checked and its pressure diminished by means ofthe regulator E, and thewhistle G is sounded. The spring in returns the valve to its scat whenthe armature is released bythe breaking of the circuit.

Dy using a balanced valve such as is shown at M, Fig. L1, agreatadvantageis gained, as the magnet has only1 to overcome the resistanceof the spring m to open the valve, and this resistance can ofcourse beadj usted t0 a proper degree relative to the power of the magnet; but itis not essential to balance thc valve, and

the pressure in the conduit D may, in case oi.'

an unbalanced valve, be used to keep it closed and return it to its seatafter being opened, instead of a spring, in.

From what I. have said it will be understood that the particularconstruction of the devices shown are given by me as showing what Ithink the best mode of applying my invention, and therefore as the bestillustration of the same, and that, excepting in the particularsespecially pointed out in the claims, I do not intend to li mit myselfto the details show n, which details, as I have explained already, maybe varied in some respects without departure from my invention.

It will be understood that where the pipe D is connected with astorage-tank having but a low pressure in it it would not be necessaryto use any pressure-regulator.

I am aware that prior to my invention whistle-valves have been actuatedby a com- ICO bination of springs and electro-magnets; but in theearlier plans the springs were so combined with the valve-rod as to actto open the valve, a permanent magnet being employed to hold the valveseated, and the electro-magnet serving to counteract the permanentmagnet and permit the springs to open the valve. These earlier deviceswere intended and adapted to give the alarm in case of unforeseenaccident, and not intended for ordinary trainsignaling, for which mydevice is especially intended.

Having now described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a railway-train signal, a pipe leading from a steam or airreceptacle to a whistle situated on the engine, in combination with avalve situated in said pipe, a spring` or its equivalent acting to keepsaid valve seated, and an electro-magnet included in a normallyopencircuit and having an armature connected with the valve, the movement ofattraction of said armature being transmitted to the valve in adirectionopposed to the spring, the electro-magnet circuit consisting of anelectrie generator, electric conductors extending through the train, andcircuit-closers situated in the cars composing the train, whereby whenthe magnet circuit is closed the magnet-armature will be attracted andthe valve raised against the pressure ot" the spring, substantially asand for the purposes specified.

2. In a railway-train signal, a pipe leading from a steam or airreceptacle to a whistle situated on the engine, in combination with avalve situated in said pipe, a spring or its equivalent acting to keepsaid valve seated, a pressure-regulator situated in the pipe between thesteam or air receptacle andthe whistle, and an electro-magnet includedin a normally-open circuit and having an armature connected with thevalve, the movement of attraction of said armature being transmitted tothe valve in a direction opposed to the spring, the electromagnetcircuit consisting ot' an electric generator, electric conductorsextending through the train, and circuit-closers situated vin the carscomposing the train, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. In a railway-train signal, a pipe leading from a steam or airreceptaclel to a whistle situated ou the engine, in combination with aValve situated -in said pipe, a spring or its equivalent acting to keepsaid valve seated, a pressure-regulator situated in the pipe between thesteam or air receptacle and the valve, and an electro-magnet includedinanormallyopen circuit and having an armature connected with the valve,the movement of attraction of said armature being transmitted to thevalve in a direction opposed to the spring, the electro magnet circuitconsisting of au electric generator, electric conductors extendingthrough the train, and circuit closers situated in the cars composingthe train, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. In a railway-train signal, a pipe leading from a steam or airreceptacle to a whistle situated on the engine, in combination with abalanced valve situated in said pipe, a spring or its equivalent actingto keep said valve seated, and an electromagnet included in anormally-open circuit and having an armature connected with the valve,the movement of attraction of said armature being transmitted to thevalve in a direction opposed to the spring, the electro-magnet circuitconsisting of an electric generator, electric conductors extendingthrough the train, and circuit-closers situated in the cars composingthe train, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

5. In a railway-train signal, a pipe leading from a steam or airreceptacle to a whistlesit- 'uated on the engine, in combination with abalanced valve situated in said pipe, aspring or its equivalent actingto keep said valve seated, a pressure-regulator situated in the pipebetween the steam or air receptacle and the whistle, and anelectro-magnet included in a normally-open circuit and having anarmature connected with the valve, the movement of attraction of saidarmature being transmitted to the valve in a direction opposed tothespring, the electro-magnet circuit consisting of an electric generator,electric conductors extending through the train, and circuit-closerssituated in the cars composing the train, substantially as and for thepurposes specied.

6. In a train signaling device, substantially as specied, thecombination, with a railwaycar, of conductors l and H, running throughthe car and terminating in liexible ends having couplings adapted toengage with similar conductors on adjoining cars, circuit-closingdevices connected with the conductors, as described, an actuating-cord,7;, running through the car and attached to the actuating-handle of thecircuit-closers, and a cord, k', attached to the flexible end of one ofthe conductors and to the actuating-cord k, said cord k having lessslack than the liexible conductor, all substantially as and for thepurpose specified.

ALBERT C. GRIGGS.

Vitnesses:

HUXLEY HARVEY, Isaac NoRnrs, 3d.

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